


in which some things are exposed (and others remain hidden)

by Birdschach, WattStalf



Category: Baccano!
Genre: Bad Relationship, Friends With Benefits, Implied Sexual Content, M/M, Period-Typical Homophobia, except they aren't really friends, this started as a joke
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-01-08
Updated: 2017-01-08
Packaged: 2018-09-15 19:56:11
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,388
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9253718
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Birdschach/pseuds/Birdschach, https://archiveofourown.org/users/WattStalf/pseuds/WattStalf
Summary: You and your games.





	

**Author's Note:**

> Okay so! Hannah here with an author's note. This started as a joke but then we actually wrote it. In terms of credit, non-dialogue is split pretty much evenly, Daniel wrote Spike's dialogue, I wrote the dialogue for Goose, and his brief POV at the end. I want to apologize but I'm not really sorry and neither is he.

Making sure no one is following him, Spike knocks on the door. He hears a click, knowing the door has been unlocked, and with one final furtive glance, he enters the room.

 

“You needed to speak with me?” asks Goose Perkins, the man he answers to only because Huey is no longer with them.  
His expression is as imperceptible as always.

 

“Yes, sir,” Spike says, “I’ve figured out something that's a bit worrisome. Earlier today, Nader asked me if I would be interested in turning on the Lemures. Seems he doesn't think our plan will work, and wants to forsake immortality for favor with the Russo family.”

 

“And he’d just ask you so brazenly?” Of course, Goose seems incredulous; Spike had hardly been able to believe it when it happened, but, as things turned out, the man had already had a lot of luck turning others in the group. He must have gotten cocky and thought that Spike would agree without hesitating.

 

“Yeah, I guess he thought I'd be more cynical of our plan,” Spike says, with a chuckle. “Maybe because of my sunny disposition? Anyway, I'm not the only one he's talked to. Seems he's had a surprising number of successful conversions.”

 

Rather than frowning, Goose simply smirks. “From terrorists to traitors to mafia men, huh? If their loyalty can be swayed that easily, we may be able to bring some back to our side yet by playing his game. Those we can't turn back can be dealt with easily enough, and as for our dear ringleader...there's a lot of fun we can have with him, showing him how we deal with traitors.”

 

“Sure you don’t want me to just put a bullet between his eyes? Might be better for us in the long run. Wouldn’t exactly be hard for me to get close, and you know,” Spike says, “head of the snake, and all that.”

 

“But where's the fun in that? We can't let him off _easy_ , you know.” This is one of the many things about Goose he can't stand; the man can't be goddamn simple about anything. He's much too showy, even for a terrorist, and situations like these need to be handled simply.

 

“You and your games. Ah well, if you want to have fun with it, be my guest. But if I think things’ll be better with him out of the way...well, I won’t say I’ll be insubordinate,” Spike says, wondering if Goose’s inability to take anything seriously, to just be straightforward, is what led to his famous discharge. “But I’m not going to watch things go south without doing anything.”

 

“You're speaking awfully boldly tonight...you know, if you were to be insubordinate, I'd have a very different way of dealing with you, don't you? Of course, I've been able to keep you in line so far.” And there it is, that look that tells Spike that Nader is now far from the other man’s mind. Of course, he should have known he couldn't just go to him at night and not expect it to escalate, not even if he were there on serious business.

 

This- whatever the hell _this_ even is- was bound to happen, and he knows it, but he had no choice but to come alone. And does he really regret it? Damned if he understands his feelings anymore than he understands anything else. It becomes harder and harder to track his feelings as things go on. 

 

“Hey, like I said, it’d only be in our best interest. You know as well as I do that you take things too far sometimes,” Spike says, not sure if he should take Goose’s bait, or make him be more forward. “Not that that’s...always a bad thing.”

 

“I wouldn't say I'm the only one who takes things too far. And, at the very least, I don't think I've ever heard you complaining.” There's that self-satisfied smirk again, the one that always leaves Spike torn, because, _goddamn_ , does he want to slug him just once, but he also…

 

And it's _just like_ Goose, the way he insists on carrying this out. Always in control, always trying to prove that he's on top, always making sure that he proves himself, no matter how he has to do that. Is he going to try to leave Spike begging at the end of it all tonight? Is Spike going to let him?

 

“Well, I guess you just haven’t given me a _reason_ to complain, hm?” Spike answers, deflecting any real conversation with his humor, as usual. Damn, he really can’t believe how easily Goose gets under his skin.

 

It is Goose who closes the distance between them, taking a few short steps across the room, that easy smirk never faltering. “Are you going to complain tonight?” he asks. “Or are you going to remember your place?”

 

“Don’t worry, sir. I remember my place perfectly well,” Spike says, matching Goose’s smirk with his own. “So, where’s my place tonight?”

 

The other man reaches for him, placing his hand on the back of his head and gripping tight, pulling at his hair- Goose has always liked to play with his hair in some way. “Your place is where it always is, or do I really have to show you again?” Without waiting for an answer, he crashed his lips against Spike’s.

 

Spike returns his kiss, quickly, eagerly. His desires might confuse him, but they're still strong. He quickly finds himself getting aroused, and knows it will only be a matter of time until Goose notices. The other man will likely mock him then, but Spike isn't sure if he minds that or not. Once upon a time, it bothered him plenty, but that was when this was new, and that was when he hadn't been able to grasp how much he really wanted that.

 

All of this had been so new, once, and he had never really made peace with the fact that all of this is happening between him and another man, but it's not like he's able to quit. If he could have, he would have, so even if he still can't understand his feelings or what this all means for him, he keeps going along with it. Common sense be damned.

 

When Goose breaks the kiss, he’s moved past smirking, and there's a twisted grin on his face because he has the power here and he knows it. “God, aren't you eager tonight? Of course, I shouldn't be surprised, that's always how you are, isn't it?” he practically croons. “Imagine what the others would say if they knew about this side of you. I doubt you'd be able to live it down.”

 

He feigns a look of surprise. “Maybe that's the real reason you want to take Nader out so quickly. You're afraid he suspects, that he's going to out you! Or maybe you're just jealous? Don't be, Spike. I can assure you, there's no one else as… _odd_ as you are.”

 

“Believe me, if I was afraid he suspected, he’d already be dead. And besides, what about you? You wouldn’t live it down either, eh?” Spike asks. “Especially if you...got involved with multiple partners.”

 

“You'll learn be more careful about what you said around me,” he replies, his threat vague and useless. This is how Spike knows that he's gotten at least one real dig in, and even if it's a small victory, he feels like he's won something nonetheless.

 

Of course, in a few moments, Goose will be heavy on top of him, and he will not look like much of a winner at all. And when he's made to beg, and when he finds he likes it, he will once again wonder how much he really minds being the loser.

 

~X~

 

Goose never sleeps well after these nights, despite thoroughly exhausting himself. He doesn't know if it's out of a sense of guilt, or of paranoia, or if he's just meant to spend every night wondering how things got to this point and why he allowed it and why he wants it so much. But he doesn't let it bother him that he doesn't understand, at least not enough to affect his daily life. After all, soon enough, he will have forever to figure it all out.


End file.
